Advocacy

Provide Public Comment Supporting Preservation-Friendly Alternative for Natatorium until December 24 The City and County of Honolulu has released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) favoring a combination of retaining the shore-based war memorial with a rehabilitated swim basin with perimeter wall as the preferred alternative for the Waikīkī War Memorial Natatorium.  The DEIS is available in the Office of Environmental Quality Control's online library of Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements. Click here to download the DEIS. The purpose of the EIS is to assess and recommend projects to renew the memorial and re-establish full public access to this area of Kapi‘olani Park. The DEIS examined four Alternatives (scroll to the bottom to view the 3 action alternatives): Perimeter Deck (Preferred) War Memorial Beach Closed System Pool No Action The Perimeter Deck alternative outperformed the other options across all measures, including cost of construction, cost of operations, environmental effects and historic preservation. The Perimeter Deck estimated capital costs are $25.6 million, compared to $28.8 million for the beach-construction alternative and $42.7 million for building a closed pool system. “The proposed solution for the issues around the Natatorium is elegant and showcases a reasonable balance between preserving the past and addressing feasibility,” said Kiersten Faulkner, executive director of Historic Hawai‘i Foundation. “This outcome showcases that great results can occur when stakeholders meet in good faith and explore solutions together,” Faulkner said. “We support the Perimeter Deck alternative and look forward to seeing it complete the environmental review and move towards implementation.” WHAT CAN YOU DO? ACT TODAY!   PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT Public comment on the DEIS (written or via email) will be accepted until December 24. To send comments VIA EMAIL: Send to WWMCNatatorium@aecom.com  To send comments [...]

Photo: AHL PUBLIC HEARING  TO BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018 - TESTIMONY  ENCOURAGED 11/2/18: A public hearing on whether to approve additional density, height and other development bonuses for the SKY ALAMOANA Condo-Hotel and Residential Development Project will be held on Wednesday, November 7. The proposed development would demolish the historically-significant Kenrock Buildings and allow a massive new set of towers in their place. The Department of Planning and Permitting recommends approval of the project with no conditions or design modifications related to the effect on the historic properties. The Council Committee on Zoning and Housing will take public comment. CLICK HERE  for the hearing notice and link to the development proposal.  Historic Hawai‘i Foundation testified in opposition to the development because of the extreme adverse effect on significant historic resources. Click here to read HHF's testimony.  Preservationists who are concerned with the effect of the project are encouraged to submit written testimony, CLICK HERE to submit written testimony.   SAMPLE TESTIMONY To: Honolulu City Council Committee on Zoning and Housing Hearing Date: Wednesday, November 7, 2018 RE: Opposition to Resolution 18-248, IPD-T for the Sky Ala Moana Condo-Hotel and Residential Development Project FROM: [Name] [Contact Information] The proposed high-density development at located at 1388, 1400 and 1418 Kapiolani Boulevard would demolish three historic buildings known as the Kenrock Buildings. These buildings are significant examples of Honolulu’s Mid-Century Modern architectural period and embody the work of master architects. These important buildings should be preserved and integrated into the development plan in a sensitive way. The rush to add housing and additional density in the urban center should not be done at the expense of livable cities that honor their past and the [...]

8/31/2018: A 90-year-old building that harkens to Kakaako’s industrial past will find new life as a retail center through a historic rehabilitation project being presented to the Board of Hawaii Community Development Authority on September 5. The Dearborn Building, also known as the Universal Building, is located on Ward Avenue between Waimanu and Kawaiahao Streets. Originally built in 1928 for the Dearborn Chemical Company, the warehouse now stands as a rare surviving example of a light industrial, masonry building from the pre-World War II period to still exist in the Kakaako district. After several decades of use by Dearborn, by the mid-1960s, the warehouse/industrial use had ended and the building was converted to retail and office use. It is assumed that the building name was changed to the Universal Building at the time an addition was added to the entire length of the exterior, circa 1965. Dearborn 535 LLC purchased the building in 2014 and plans to preserve, rehabilitate and make adaptive reuse of the building. Dearborn 535 LLC’s comprehensive preservation strategy includes nominating the property to be listed on both the Hawaii and National Registers of Historic Places; design and construction work to comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Rehabilitation of Historic Properties; and placing a conservation easement on the historic property to surrender future development rights in favor of perpetual preservation. “A vibrant and renewed Kakaako must include a neighborhood in which historic buildings are preserved, rehabilitated and used for a variety of community needs,” said Kiersten Faulkner, executive director of Historic Hawaii Foundation. “Buildings of human scale are part of a mix that creates a walkable community with a tapestry of the history, culture, design, and [...]

Photo: Courtesy of Wilkie McClaren 8/17/2018: On April 13, 2018, a storm event with heavy rains caused flooding, landslides and extensive damage to Kūhiō Highway from Hā‘ena to Hanalei on Kaua‘i. Governor David Ige proclaimed an emergency and disaster on April 15, followed by a federal disaster proclamation by President Donald Trump on May 8. The emergency declarations allowed the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to plan emergency repairs for the road. The impacted segment of the highway is listed on the Hawai‘i Register of Historic Places and includes multiple one-lane historic bridges that contribute to the historic district. The emergency road work affects 26 sites, including 17 slope cleanup areas, three stabilization sites, a wall replacement and debris removal. The area most impacted is located near mile post 6.5, which is designated as Repair Site #2. Photo: Courtesy of Hawai‘i Department of Transportation HDOT said that heavy equipment is needed for debris removal and road work at Repair Site #2. The crews plan to use a crane and a large backhoe in addition to the smaller equipment already on site. However, the equipment is too heavy for the existing historic bridges at Waikoko, Waipa and Wai‘oli. The bridges are rated for eight ton loads and the equipment is 20 tons. HDOT therefore proposed to rehabilitate and strengthen Wai‘oli and replace Waikoko and Waipa Bridges to accommodate the heavy equipment. The agencies consulted with Hanalei Roads Committee, Historic Hawai‘i Foundation, Hanalei Watershed Hui, Waikoko ‘Ohana, Hui Ho‘omalu I Ka ‘Āina and the Konohiki Restoration Project about the effect on historic properties. The consultation process resulted in a Memorandum of Agreement to avoid, minimize or mitigate [...]

Ask Honolulu City Council to Save Chinatown's Street Character WHAT ? Honolulu City Council is considering a bill, Council Bill 82 (2017), CD1,  to prohibit installation of curb extension ‘bulb-outs’ in the core historic precinct of the Chinatown special district.  Click here to read the original bill.  Historic Hawai‘i Foundation SUPPORTS this bill and encourages other supporters to submit testimony to the Committee on Planning for the May 1, 2018 public hearing.  See sample testimony below. WHY DOES IT MATTER? In the Summer of 2017, the Department of Transportation Services (DTS) installed curb extensions, also known as “bulb-outs,” on several intersections within the Chinatown District. The design of the bulb-outs is incompatible with the historic character of the district and do not comply with either the intent of the City’s Special District to enhance historic character, nor the standards and guidelines for treatment of historic properties. The "bulb-outs" have also been determined to be detrimental to area businesses. More than 40 new locations for "bulb-outs" have been identified within the Chinatown historic district with installation work to be conducted between 2018-2020. WHAT CAN YOU DO? ACT TODAY!  Register to testify in person at tomorrow's City Council Planning Committee meeting, May 1st at 10:30 a.m., or submit written testimony on-line today.   SHARE THE MESSAGE Encourage other individuals, groups and businesses who care about protecting the character of Chinatown Historic District to also speak up ASAP. Forward this POST TO: Community members Property owners Business owners Architects Planners Chambers of Commerce Commercial Realtors SAMPLE TESTIMONY (Please personalize for greater impact inserting why it matters to you and/or how you'll be impacted.) SAMPLE TESTIMONY To:                                  Honolulu [...]

WAIKĪKĪ WAR MEMORIAL NATATORIUM ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT TO BE READY SUMMER 2018 Four Alternatives Will Be Evaluated in EIS 12/11/2017: The City and County of Honolulu provided an update on the status of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that it is preparing to evaluate alternatives for the future of the Waikīkī War Memorial Natatorium. The purpose of the EIS is to recommend projects to renew the memorial and re-establish full public access to this area of Kapi‘olani Park. Following that draft EIS, public hearings are anticipated for fall 2018 with the publication of the final EIS scheduled in spring 2019. The Waikīkī War Memorial Natatorium opened in 1927 as a “living memorial” to those who served in World War I from Hawai‘i. The structure is significant for its long history as a swimming venue and its association with legendary watermen Duke Kahanamoku, Buster Crabbe and Jonny Weismuller. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for both its historic and architectural significance. It has been closed since 1979. “We’ve been making steady progress with the EIS and the process is working,” said Mayor Kirk Caldwell. “Through this process, and the consultations it requires, we’ve developed four alternatives to address the long neglected memorial. An additional alternative has recently been added, which looks promising. We’re labeling it Alternative 2 and it consists of a flow through perimeter deck where the original, crumbling deck is now.” Historic Hawai‘i Foundation submitted written comments during the pre-EIS scoping period that said the original range of alternatives was too narrow and did not include an option for rehabilitation of the historic structure. The new alternative 2, called the “Perimeter Deck” option helps meet the need for a fuller range [...]